Plan for separate Mideast peace talks advances

A year after peace talks collapsed, Israelis and Palestinians appear headed back to the negotiating table - just not the same table.

A U.S.-backed proposal to launch so-called proximity talks moved forward Wednesday when the Arab League gave its blessing for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to join the effort.

Under the American plan, U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell will meet separately with Israelis and Palestinians in the hopes of narrowing their differences and getting both sides back in the same room. Analysts call it an incremental step, but perhaps better than nothing.

In its statement, the Arab League said it was endorsing the U.S. plan "despite the lack of conviction in the seriousness of the Israeli side." The group of 14 Arab nations suggested a four-month deadline, after which Palestinians should evaluate whether to continue.

Palestinians are refusing to resume face-to-face talks until Israel halts settlement construction in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a 10-month moratorium on some Jewish construction in the West Bank.